Melanins are widespread pigments in vertebrates, with important roles in visual signaling,
UV protection, and homeostasis. Fossil evidence of melanin and melanin-bearing …

Natural melanin is a ubiquitous material that plays critical biofunctional roles in different
living organisms. Scientists have dedicated significant efforts to elucidate the biofunctional …

Structural colors arising from interactions of light with submicron scale periodic structures
have been found in many species across all taxa, serving multiple biological functions …

The discovery of traces of a blood meal in the abdomen of a 50‐million‐year‐old mosquito
reminds us of the insights that the chemistry of fossils can provide. Ancient DNA is the best …

Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to achieve true flapping flight, but in the absence of
living representatives, many questions concerning their biology and lifestyle remain …

High-efficiency solar harvest and solar-thermal conversion have been targeted in modern
sustainable energy science for diverse potential applications. However, broad applications …

Ichthyosaurs are extinct marine reptiles that display a notable external similarity to modern
toothed whales. Here we show that this resemblance is more than skin deep. We apply a …

The colonisation of freshwater and marine ecosystems by land vertebrates has repeatedly
occurred in amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals over the course of 300 million years …

BACKGROUND More than 30 different lineages of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and
mammals have independently invaded oceans ecosystems. Prominent examples include …

Predator-prey dynamics are an important evolutionary driver of escalating predation mode
and efficiency, and commensurate responses of prey [1–3]. Among these strategies …